Vibrator



June 1964 E. R. SARTOR ETAL 3,135,124

VIBRATOR Filed June 5, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 [211/557 14/ 5MT B mmvroxs June 2, 1964 E. R. SARTOR ETAL 3,135,124

VIBRATOR Filed June 5, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 fiemssr/. @v r 724 Es7' VL 5487 INVENTORS 4 True/v5 rs June 2, 1964 E. R. SARTOR ETAL 3,135,124

VIBRATOR Filed June 5, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 4 [km-s7- 514270/6 3r 35 F/a/wssr W Snerae INVENTORS A'rro me ya United States Patent 3,135,124 VIBRATOR Ernest R. Sartor and Ernest W. Sartor, both of R0. Box 336, Altadena, Calif. Filed June 5, 1961, Ser. No. 114,699 14 Claims. (Cl. 74-87) This invention relates to vibrators, and included in the objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a vibrator which involves, essentially, only two elements, a housing having a cylindrical chamber forming a circular, or approximately circular, raceway and a rotor element in the form of a hollow cylinder loosely received in the chamber and adapted to roll around the raceway, thus providing a particularly simple and rugged structure inherently capable of withstanding extreme conditions of operation.

Second, to provide a vibrator of this type which utilizes a cylindrical rotor of single-piece construction, the walls of which have reaction passages therein so arranged that fluid flowing therethrough produces a reaction which causes the rotor to rotate, and, in addition, to seek a position against the wall of the raceway and roll thereon to produce vibration.

Third, to provide a vibrator of this class wherein the housing or casing, because of the single-piece construction of the rotor, may be formed of sections which are welded together.

Fourth, to provide a vibrator which is particularly adapted to be operated by steam, and which may be so arranged that the steam for its operation may be generated within the housing rotor chamber.

Fifth, to provide a vibrator which, although primarily adapted for operation by use of steam, may be arranged to operate by air or other motive gas, or for some purposes may be operated by water or by various liquid-gas mixtures. Sixth, to provide a vibrator which, by addition of means for introducing material to be crushed and arranging outlets for the crushed material, may be adapted to operate as a crusher, pulverizer, or material mixer.

Seventh, to provide a vibrator which is operable under subfreezing conditions. That is, the vibrator may, while not in use, become frozen or contain water or ice, but which, on application of steam, will quickly thaw out without damage and operate effectively; thereby providing a vibrator which is particularly adapted for use on coal and ore cars for loosening frozen coal and ore.

With the above and other objects in view, as may appear hereinafter, reference is directed to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a partial plan view, partial sectional view showing one form of the vibrator, the view being taken substantially through 11 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 2 is a transverse sectional view thereof taken through 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a partial plan, partial sectional view showing a modified form of the vibrator taken through 3-3 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 4 is a transverse sectional view thereof taken substantially through 44 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a reduced plan view similar to FIGURE 1, showing a modified form of the vibrator in which the housing is essentially oval in form;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view through 66 of FIGURE 5; G

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view through 77 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 8 is a reduced, plan view similar to FIGURE 5, showing a further modified form of the vibrator in which the housing is essentially triangular;

3,135,124 C6 Patented June 2, 1964 FIGURE 9 is a reduced, sectional view similar to FIG- URE 2, showing the manner in which either of the vibrators illustrated in FIGURES 1 through 4 may be adapted for conversion to perform the functions of a crusher, pulverizer, or material mixer, and indicating diagrammatically the manner in which material to be treated may be introduced.

Reference is first directed to FIGURES 1 and 2. The structure here illustrated includes a housing 1 and a rotor 2. The housing 1 includes a bottom plate 3 on which is mounted a cylinder 4 having substantially greater internal diameter than axial length. Mounted on top of the cylinder 4 is a top plate 5. The bottom plate 3, top plate 5, and cylinder 4 may be joined together by bolts 6, or may be welded together.

The bottom and top plates 3 and 5 and the cylinder 4 define internally a cylindrical rotor chamber 7. The inner surface of the cylinder 4 forms a raceway 8. Centered in the top plate 5 is an inlet opening 9. The end of the inlet opening 9 communicating with the rotor chamber 7 is preferably flared or tapered. The bottom plate 3 is provided with a ring of outlet ports 10 disposed adjacent the cylinder 4. The upper surface of the bottom plate 3 is preferably provided with a slight peripheral recess 11.

The rotor 2 is in the form of a hollow cylinder having end surfaces 12 and 13 which confront the bottom and top plates 3 and 5. The axial length of the rotor 2 is so proportioned that the rotor fits slidably and freely between the bottom and top plates 3 and 5; however, with a minimum of clearance space. The central bore through the rotor 2 forms a pressure chamber 14, the ends of which are closed by the bottom and top plates 3 and 5.

The diameter of the rotor 2 is greater than one-half the diameter of the rotor chamber 7, to the extent that when the rotor 2 is disposed in tangential relation to the raceway 8, the end surface 13 isolates the inlet opening or port 9 from that portion of the rotor chamber external to the rotor 2. The wall thickness of the rotor 2 is such, however, that the pressure chamber 14 is in continuous communication with the inlet port 9. This is true irrespective of the position which the rotor 2 may occupy within the rotor chamber 7.

Formed in the rotor 2 is a set of primary reaction passages 15. The reaction passages have entrance ends 16 which are preferably flared, and which intersect the upper end surface 13 of the rotor 2. The entrance ends 16 are so located that when the rotor 2 is tangent to the raceway 8 they describe a circle which intersects the projected area of the inlet port 9, this area being represented by broken lines in FIGURE 1. The entrance ends 16 are eircumferentially spaced so that at least two are within the projected area of the inlet port 9. The primary reaction passages extend downwardly in planes tangent to the circle defined by the inlet ports 9 and have discharge ends intersecting the outside or peripheral surface of the rotor 2, adjacent its bottom surface 12.

Also formed in the rotor 2 is a set of secondary reaction passages 17 which are disposed in a common horizontal plane near the lower end of the rotor 2. The reaction passages extend tangentially to the circle defined by the cylindrical walls of the pressure chamber 14 and extend to the outer surface of the rotor 2. One of the passages, designated 17a, is larger in diameter than the other; alternatively, only a single secondary reaction passage may be provided.

Operation of the vibrator shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 is as follows:

A motive fluid, preferably steam, but which may be compressed air, is supplied through the inlet port 9. If the rotor 2 is initially in tangential relation to the raceway 8, a portion of the motive fluid is discharged through the two or three primary reaction passages 15 in registry with the inlet port 9. This produces a thrust tending to rotate the rotor 2 in the direction indicated by the arrow A in FIGURE 1, and also produces a thrust tending to force the rotor 2 against the raceway 8, as a result the rotor tends to roll in the direction of the arrow B shown in FIGURE 1.

In addition a portion of the motive fluid flows through the pressure chamber 14 and through the secondary reaction passages 17. The reaction force, due to flow of fluid in the passages 17, supplements the rotational force produced by flow of fluid in the reaction passages 15. As the movement of the rotor 2 about the raceway 8 increases, centrifugal force becomes increasingly effective in maintaining the rotor in contact with the raceway.

When motive fluid is initially applied to the vibrator, the rotor 2 may be in any indeterminate position within the boundaries of the raceway 8. That is, for example, it may be in a position concentric to the inlet port 9, in which case the primary reaction passages 15 are isolated from the inlet port 9. When this" condition obtains, the rotor 2 at first merely rotates. However, by reason of the fact that one secondary passage is larger than the others, or there is only a single secondary passage, the rotor 2 will quickly drift to an eccentric position until the primary reaction passages are exposed to the inlet port 9; whereupon the rotor 2 is urged into contact with the raceway 8 so as to roll therearound.

The rotation of the rotor 2 about an axis eccentric to its own axis produces the required vibration. It should be noted that the vibrator need not be mounted so that the axes of the rotor chamber 7 and rotor 2 are vertical, but that these axes may be oriented in any direction. That is, the housing may be mounted in a horizontal, vertical, or inclined position, for once a reaction force is exerted which is greater than the weight of the rotor 2, the rotor will spin or roll within the housing.

It should be observed, of course, that the dimensions of the reaction passages 15 and 17 and the total area of the outlet ports 10 are such that a higher pressure is maintained at the inlet port 9 and within the pressure chamber 14 than is maintained in the rotor chamber 7 outside the rotor 2.

By way of illustration, but not of limitation, air or steam may be introduced through the inlet port 9' at 100 lbs. pressure so as to maintain this pressure in the pressure chamber 14; The pressure outside the rotor 2 may be 30 lbs., whereas the exhaust pressure beyond the outlet ports approaches atmospheric pressure.

Reference is now directed to FIGURES 3 and 4. In the construction here illustrated, the rotor 2 is the same as in the first described structure. In place of the housing 1 there is provided a housing 18 having a bottom plate 19, a cylinder 29, and atop plate'21. The bottom and top plates 19 and 21 and the cylinder 20 form a rotor chamber 7, and the internal wall of the cylinder 20 forms a raceway 8, which may be identical to that of the first described structure.

Surrounding the cylinder 20 is an exhaust chamber 22 which communicates with the rotor chamber 7 by outlet ports 23 corre'spondin to the outlet ports 10, but in this case. are shown in the bottom margin of the raceway 8. In the region of the outlet ports 23, the cylinder 20 is provided with an annular recess'24 and a mating annular recess 25', corresponding to the recess 11 formed in the bottom plate 3 of the previously described structure. The exhaust chamber 22 is provided with a suitable exhaust-port 26.

For purposes of illustration, the cylinder 20 of the modified structure is shown as joined to the bottom and top plates 19 and 21 by welds 27 and 23.

The periphery of the bottom plate 19 is provided with a ring of downwardly extending webs 29 which join to a base plate 30 having a large central opening in which is mounted a burner 31, which is indicated as being adapted to burn gaseous fuel.

The top plate 21 is provided with an inlet port 32 to which is connected a nozzle" 33, forming the end of a water line 34. The inlet port 32 preferably flares so that its end communicating with the'rotor chamber 7 is large enough to encompass two or three, or more, of the primary reaction passages 15 of the rotor 2, as indicated by roken lines in FIGURE 3.

Operation of the vibrator shown in FIGURES 3 and 4 is as follows:

Water is introduced through the nozzle 33. Heat is applied to the bottom plate 19 so as to heat the bottom plate above the boiling point of water with the result that water which enters the pressure chamber 14 is turned into steam so as to flow outward through the reaction passages 15 and 17. Steam generated in the pressure chamber 14 enters the primary reaction passages 15 by flowing into the inlet port 32 over the end surface of the rotor 2.

By way of illustration, but not of limitation, the bottom plate 19 may be heated to a temperature in the range of 300 to 350 to produce steam at, for example, 150 lbs. pressure within the pressure chamber 14. The steam within the rotor chamber 7 outside the rotor 2 may then be approximately 30 lbs., and the steam in the exhaust chamber 22 at some lesser pressure. Water, of course, is introduced at a pressure in excess of the steam pressure in the pressure chamber 14-.

Reference is now directed to FIGURE 5. The construction here illustrated is a modification of the previously described structures in which the raceway comprises diametrically opposed semicylindrical sections 8a with short, straight sections 8b interposed so that the chamber is essentially oval. The diiference in the major and minor diameters of the oval chamber is correlated with the diameter and wall thickness of the rotor 2 so that for all positions of contact with the raceway the primary reaction passages underlie the inlet port 9, as shown by solid and broken linesin FIGURE 5 and in the fragmentary detailed views of FIGURES 6 and 7. This arrangement provides a major vibration along the major axis of the oval chamber.

If it is desired to emphasize vibration in more than two directions, the raceway may be made triangular as indicated in FIGURE 8, wherein each third of a circle forms a raceway section joined to the other curved sections by straightsections 8d. A four, five, or more sided raceway may be similarly formed. In any case, the raceway defines alternate points of major and minor radii and transition zones connecting these points.

Reference is now directed to FIGURE 9. The construction here illustrated may be essentially the same as the construction shown in the previously described structures, except that in place of the outlet ports 10 or outlet ports 23 a perforated outlet screen 35 is provided. In addition to the inlet port 9, a. suitable chute 36 is provided in the wall of the cylinder 4 or cylinder 20.

In the adaption of the vibrator to perform the functions of a crusher, the material to be crushed is introduced through the chute 36 under conditions in which a pressure is maintained above the relaively low pressure existing within the rotor chamber 7 outside the rotor 2. For example, a feeding mechanism may be provided having a rotor 37 divided by webs 38 into compartments 39 mounted in a housing it? having an inlet 41 and outlet 42 separated by the webs 38. The material introduced may be dry or may be a mixture of liquids and solids for the purpose of mixing or dissolving the solids in the liquids.

The rotor 2 in its gyration about the raceway 8 crushes or pulverizes the material, and the pulverized material is worked through the screen 35 along with the exhaust motive fluid.

If the nature of the material being crushed is such that heat would be undesirable, compressed air is utilized as the motive fluid. If the presence of'steam has no adverse effect, then the motive fluid may be steam, whether supplied externally, as in the first described structure, or generated within the structure, as shown in FIGURES 3 and 4.

It will be observed that the vibrator is particularly adapted for operation by steam, as the rotor or walls of the housing may be constructed of metal which is not damaged by steam. Furthermore, the rotor tends to float between the end walls of the housing on the steam flowing through the clearance spaces between the rotor and the end walls.

The rugged nature of the rotor 2 and housing 1 is such that it may become filled with water, or residual water may freeze therein; yet, upon application of steam the vibrator may be quickly conditioned for operation.

While particular embodiments of this invention have been shown and described, it is not intended to limit the same to the exact details of the constructions set forth, and it embraces such changes, modifications, and equivalents of the parts and their formation and arrangement as come within the purview of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A vibrator, comprising: a housing having a cylindrical raceway and end walls defining a rotor chamber, an inlet port for motive fluid centered in an end wall, and outlet ports communicating with the peripheral portion of said rotor chamber; and a rotor in the form of a hollow cylinder defining internally a pressure chamber and axially dimensioned to fit slidably between said end walls; said rotor having an outside diameter so related to the diameter of said raceway that, when said rotor is tangent to said raceway, an end surface of the wall of said rotor isolates said inlet portion from direct communication with said rotor chamber externally of said rotor, said pressure chamber being in communication with said inlet port to receive motive fluid for flow of a portion thereof between the axial ends of said rotor and said casing thereby to cause said rotor to float on said motive fluid in said casing; and said rotor having a set of reaction passages, each having an inlet end intersecting said end surface and a discharge end intersecting the outside surface of said rotor for flow of fluid through those passages in registry with said inlet port, said reaction ports being so oriented that, when exposed to said inlet port, a reaction force is produced tending to urge said rotor against said raceway and tending to cause rotation of said rotor.

2. A vibrator, comprising: a housing having a cylindrical raceway and end walls defining a rotor chamber, an inlet port for motive fluid centered in an end wall, and outlet ports communicating with the peripheral portion of said rotor chamber; and a rotor in the form of a hollow cylinder defining internally a pressure chamber and axially dimensioned to fit slidably between said end walls; said rotor having an outside diameter so related to the diameter of said raceway that, when said rotor is tangent to said raceway, an end surface of the wall of said rotor isolates said inlet port from direct communication with said rotor chamber externally of said rotor, said pressure chamber being 11 communication with said inlet port to receive motive fluid for flow of a portion thereof between the axial ends of said rotor and said casing thereby to cause said rotor to float on said motive fluid in said casing; said rotor having a first set of reaction passages, each having an inlet end intersecting said end surface and a discharge end intersecting the outside surface of said rotor for flow of fluid through those passages in registry with said inlet port, said reaction ports being so oriented that, when exposed to said inlet port, a reaction force is produced tending to urge said rotor against said raceway and tending to cause rotation of said rotor; and said rotor also having a second set of reaction passages extending through the wall of said rotor from said pressure chamber, each being oriented to produce rotation of said rotor.

3. A vibrator as set forth in claim 2, wherein: a gaseous motive fluid is supplied through said inlet port, and said reaction passages and rotor chamber outlet ports are dimensioned to maintain a higher pressure in said pressure chamber than in said rotor chamber externally of said rotor.

4. A vibrator as set forth in claim 2, wherein: said inlet port is provided with a nozzle for discharge of water into said pressure chamber; and means is provided for heating said housing and rotor above the boiling point of water thereby to generate steam in said pressure chamber for discharge through said reaction passages.

5. A vibrator as set forth in claim 2, wherein: said raceway is circular.

6. A vibrator as set forth in claim 2, wherein: said raceway departs from a true circle to alternate points of major and minor radii and transition zones connecting said points.

7. A vibrator, comprising: a housing having a cylindrical raceway and end walls defining a rotor chamber, an inlet port for motive fluid centered in an end wall, and outlet ports communicating with the peripheral portion of said rotor chamber; and a cylindrical rotor having a diameter greater than one-half the diameter of said rotor chamber and having a peripheral end surface isolating said inlet port from direct communication with said rotor chamber when said rotor is tangent to said raceways; said rotor having a ring of reaction passages including entrance ends movable in sequence into communication with said inlet port, when said rotor rolls against said raceway, and discharge ends communicating with said rotor chamber; said reaction passages being so oriented that those passages in communication with said inlet port produce a reaction force tending to drive said rotor around said raceway; said rotor defining a central pressure chamber in continuous communication with said inlet port and otherwise closed by the end walls of said rotor chamber, the axial ends of said rotor clearing said end walls for free movement therebetween and permitting radial flow of motive fluid from said pressure chamber to suspend said rotor between said end walls; and at least one secondary reaction passage leading from said pressure chamber through the walls of the rotor to produce an unbalanced force tending to urge said rotor toward a position of engagement with said raceway.

8. A vibrator as set forth in claim 7, wherein: a gaseous motive fluid is supplied through said inlet port, and said reaction passage and rotor chamber outlet ports are dimensioned to maintain'a higher pressure in said pressure chamber than in said rotor chamber externally of said rotor.

9. A vibrator as set forth in claim 7, wherein: said inlet port is provided with a nozzle for discharge of water into said pressure chamber; means is provided for heating said housing and rotor above the boiling point of water thereby to generate steam in said pressure chamber for discharge through said reaction passage; and a steam collector chamber communicates with said outlet ports.

10. A vibrator as set forth in claim 7, wherein: said raceway is circular.

11. A vibrator as set forth in claim 7, wherein: said raceway departs from a true circle to alternate points of major and minor radii and transition zones connecting said points.

12. A vibrator, comprising: a cylindrical rotor having a ring of reaction passages, said reaction passages having entrance ends inone axial end of said rotor and discharge ends intersecting the external cylindrical surface of said rotor; a housing defining a single rotor chamber including a peripheral wall forming a raceway for said rotor and end walls restraining said rotor in an axial direction, but permitting free rotating and sliding movement within the boundaries of said raceway; said housing having a central, axially directed, motive fluid inlet, said inlet and said chamber being dimensioned with respect to the entrance ends of the ring of reaction passages so that ing an axially concentric ring of exhaust ports, the diameter of which is greater than said rotor, and some of said exhaust ports are at all times uncovered as said rotor moves in said raceway to maintain a low pressure region in said rotor chamber, externally of said rotor.

13. A vibrator as set forth in claim 12, wherein: said rotor is in the form of a hollow cylinder and forms a central pressure chamber in continuous communication with said motive fluid inlet, and a portion of the motive fluid flows radially across the ends of said rotor tosuspend the rotor between the end walls of the rotor chamber.

14. A vibrator as set forth in claim 13, wherein: said rotor is provided with an additional ring of reaction passages having entrance ends communicating with said pressure chamber and discharge ends intersecting the outer cylindrical surface of the rotor.

Reed Oct. 19, 1926 Malan Jan. 16, 1940 

1. A VIBRATOR, COMPRISING: A HOUSING HAVING A CYLINDRICAL RACEWAY AND END WALLS DEFINING A ROTOR CHAMBER, AN INLET PORT FOR MOTIVE FLUID CENTERED IN AN END WALL, AND OUTLET PORTS COMMUNICATING WITH THE PERIPHERAL PORTION OF SAID ROTOR CHAMBER; AND A ROTOR IN THE FORM OF A HOLLOW CYLINDER DEFINING INTERNALLY A PRESSURE CHAMBER AND AXIALLY DIMENSIONED TO FIT SLIDABLY BETWEEN SAID END WALLS; SAID ROTOR HAVING AN OUTSIDE DIAMETER SO RELATED TO THE DIAMETER OF SAID RACEWAY THAT, WHEN SAID ROTOR IS TANGENT TO SAID RACEWAY, AN END SURFACE OF THE WALL OF SAID ROTOR ISOLATES SAID INLET PORTION FROM DIRECT COMMUNICATION WITH SAID ROTOR CHAMBER EXTERNALLY OF SAID ROTOR, SAID PRESSURE CHAMBER BEING IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID INLET PORT TO RECEIVE MOTIVE FLUID FOR FLOW OF A PORTION THEREOF BETWEEN THE AXIAL ENDS OF SAID ROTOR AND SAID CASING THEREBY TO CAUSE SAID ROTOR TO FLOAT ON SAID MOTIVE FLUID IN SAID CASING; AND SAID ROTOR HAVING A SET OF REACTION PASSAGES, EACH HAVING AN INLET END INTERSECTING SAID END SURFACE AND A DISCHARGE END INTERSECTING THE OUTSIDE SURFACE OF SAID ROTOR FOR FLOW OF FLUID THROUGH THOSE PASSAGES IN REGISTRY WITH SAID INLET PORT, SAID REACTION PORTS BEING SO ORIENTED THAT, WHEN EXPOSED TO SAID INLET PORT, A REACTION FORCE IS PRODUCED TENDING TO URGE SAID ROTOR AGAINST SAID RACEWAY AND TENDING TO CAUSE ROTATION OF SAID ROTOR. 